Sewing4Everyone

People who buy a pre-owned sewing machine tend to have an interest in fashion – and September is an important month when it comes to the fashion calendar.

The UK’s £66 billion fashion industry accounts for 6 percent of the UK’s market, and £28 billion is the direct contribution to the UK economy (up from £26 billion in 2013).

London Fashion Week (14th to 19th September) is just finished. What did the show bring this year? For a start, the week was launched by the British Fashion Council, Dame Vivienne Westwood and the Mayor of London’s announcement that the fashion industry was to lead a campaign for ambitious climate action.

They reached out to fashion brands and businesses and asked them to commit to green energy suppliers by 2020. The date ties in with the Paris Agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change.

The UK is half-way towards its climate change target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

Caroline Rush, the CEO of the British Fashion Council, said: “We are proud to launch this ambitious campaign to encourage our industry to be leaders of global change. It is our hope that the Fashion SWITCH campaign encourages brands and businesses to increase the demand for green energy; helping accelerate investment and the rate and scale of renewables in the UK.”

Fashion-wise, rope belts seemed to be a thing, tied around trousers, coats and jackets, along with smart tailoring – something anyone who has a pre-owned sewing machine will relish. Checks on checks seemed to be another key trend. Again, something you could replicate at home with a little smart joining together of two items. Pink – dusky pink in particular – was also everywhere on the catwalk. Buy yourself some metres of it in raw cotton and run up a beautiful skirt on your pre-owned sewing machine!

There were also plenty of dresses worn over trousers and white, ruffle-y dresses that looked distinctly bridal, but which weren’t aimed at that market. It might be a brave woman who wore one for anything other than marital reasons, though…

We’re delighted that there has been such a push on environmental action this year. After all, we encourage recycling and the home-made with the sale of the pre-owned sewing machine, heavy-duty machines et al. It’ll be interesting, too, to see how the high-end trends and predictions filter down to the High Street, too.

You don’t need to convince us that sewing is good for you. Arm yourself with a second-hand sewing machine, some quick and easy projects and self-fulfilment is only a few hours away!

But there are plenty of other reasons why sewing is good for you. It’s good for your mental health and your social life. And it can help the environment. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of sewing…

Sewing is a mindful activity.

We live in busy times, and many things clamour for our attention. The internet and TV bombard us with marketing messages, while our social media feeds demand huge chunks of our time. Sewing is a focused activity that needs concentration. Threading your needles, feeding the material through your second-hand sewing machine, tacking, cutting out material – all these tasks need you to focus. Mindful activity is also relaxing and stress relieving.

Sewing can introduce you to new friends.

If you’ve just bought a refurbished sewing machine and you are new to the art, then you might want to join a class. Your local community centre or adult education classes might run sewing groups. There’s also the Women’s Institute. Learning with others is fun and educational. Why not sign up?

Sewing can prolong the life of your clothes.

And that’s good for the environment. Because clothes can be so cheap nowadays, it’s tempting to throw them out when tears develop or zips break. When you know how to fix things, you’ll be able to keep clothes for much longer as you’ll be able to repair them on your second-hand sewing machine. Once your skills develop, you can also look at embellishing old clothes. Add sequins, turn curtains into cushions, make dresses into skirts or tops and more.

Sewing can bridge generation gaps.

Want to develop closer bonds with your grandmother, another elderly relative or someone in your community? Ask them to teach you how to sew. Years ago, most women knew how to use a sewing machine and could turn up hems, add darts and more. We’re sure they’d love to share their knowledge with you.

Sewing is good for dementia patients.

Care homes often use sewing or knitting as a form of therapy. Because many dementia patients knew how to sew or knit years ago, the activity is familiar to them – even when other activities have become daunting.

Sewing is creative and rewarding.

Yes, you might be able to buy a fantastic dress, but imagine turning up at a wedding in an outfit you’ve made yourself. “This old thing? I knocked it up over a long weekend…” Sit back and listen to the coos of admiration and envy!

Ready to begin your sewing journey with a second-hand sewing machine? Sewing4Everyone stocks a wide range of second-hand sewing machines, including vintage sewing machines. Buy one today and find out why so many people find sewing so rewarding.

Many people who buy a used sewing machine have some rudimentary knowledge of sewing, but what if you’re a complete beginner?

First of all, congratulations on taking that first step! Your used sewing machine will provide you with years of service. It’s a great investment. Here are some ideas for getting you started on your sewing journey. We’ll turn you into an accomplished seamstress in no time!

There is a brilliant and thorough guide to using a sewing machine here by Dwellonjoy. The writer reckons it took her longer to write the ‘how to’ post than it did to figure out how to work her used sewing machine.

Another great website is How to Sew, which offers sewing tips and patterns for beginners. First projects they suggest include winter coasters, star pincushions, Easter egg decorations, Valentine’s Day garlands, place mats, Christmas cocktail napkins, tissue holders, hair turbans and more. All of them are straightforward and yet satisfyingly crafty at the same time.

We’ve blogged about it before. You can find many inspirational and helpful videos on YouTube. Often, it’s much easier to learn by watching someone do something – and with YouTube, you can watch over and over again. There’s a beginner tutorial here (part one of five).

Does your local community college offer lessons or evening classes? Learning with others is incredibly useful, and it can be a way to make new friends too.

Buy a book. The great thing about a physical guide is that you can have it open next to you, beside your used sewing machine. A Beginner’s Guide to Machine Sewing: 50 Lessons and 15 Projects to Get You Started is one we recommend. Get it here on Amazon.

Finally, this won’t be news to most of you, but the best way to learn to sew well is to practise, practise and practise some more! Why not offer a hemming service to your family and friends? Unless you’re buying tailor-made, it can be difficult to buy trousers that fit perfectly, and many people need them taken up. You’ll be very popular if you can offer this service to people!

Sewing4Everyone specialises in the used sewing machine, refurbished and heavy duty sewing machines.

If you’re a fan of used sewing machines, then the Singer name will be familiar to you. Singer is synonymous with sewing machines, and for almost one hundred years, it was the best-known sewing machine in the world (and still is to an extent).

There are plenty of interesting facts about Singer. Here are just some of them…

Isaac Merrit Singer (1811-1875), the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine company, patented a prototype sewing machine that could sew 900 stitches in a minute

Singer is thought to have fathered at least 24 children with his wives and mistresses

Singer Model 1

The first Singer sewing machine was known as the Model No. 1

Singer’s general manager George Ross McKenzie was given the job of finding Singer’s first overseas factory. A former Scot who’d emigrated to American in 1846, he chose Glasgow.

The company soon outgrew its Glasgow location, and it purchased land in Clydebank – the Kilbowie factory and building was completed on this in 1885

By the summer of 1885, Singer’s Kilbowie factory was the largest one in the world

Best-selling Singer domestic sewing machines include the Singer 12K, the Singer 99 and the Singer Featherweight. If you like used sewing machines, you’ll be able to find these

Clydebank’s most famous landmark was the Singer 200ft clock tower – the largest four-faced clock in the world. Each face weighed a massive five tonnes, and it took four men 15 minutes twice a week to keep it wound up.

The company began mass-producing domestic electric sewing machines in 1910

Singer’s success was also credited to its instalment payment plans. The company offered credit purchases and arrangements for rent to own where people could rent the sewing machines and eventually buy them

In 1913, at the peak of production, the factory shipped more than 1,301,000 sewing machines around the world, thanks to its 14,000 employees.

The factory was bombed during the Clydebank blitz in March 1941. No-one was killed at the plant, although 39 workers died in the town

Many Singer used sewing machines and vintage models are now collectors’ items

The Singer Corporation is now part of SVP Worldwide, and it produces a range of consumer products, including electric sewing machines.

Sewing4Everyone specialises in the sale of used sewing machines, including Singer sewing machines. Check out our range to see if we have the sewing machine that suits you needs.